Actelion reports positive data from new hypertension therapy trial

Actelion has announced positive data from a clinical trial showing the benefits offered by selexipag, its investigational therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

The pivotal phase III Griphon study involved 1,156 patients and showed that selexipag, which is the first selective oral prostacyclin IP receptor agonist, was able to meet its primary efficacy endpoint.

It was shown that Actelion's drug was able to decrease the risk of a morbidity/mortality event versus placebo by 39 percent across multiple patient demographics, while its overall tolerability profile was consistent with prostacyclin therapies.

The Griphon study was the largest outcome trial ever conducted in PAH, enrolling patients in 181 centres from 39 countries in North and Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Africa.

Dr Jean-Paul Clozel, chief executive officer of Actelion, said: "We will now work diligently to complete the analyses with the goal to initiate first regulatory filings with health authorities as soon as possible."

This comes after the company launched Opsumit as a new treatment option for patients with PAH in England last month.